We're All Human
by Rowana Farrin
Summary: The Wraith capture McKay, and his survival could depend on the kindness of one very strange girl. Pt 1 of 'Daughter of Pegasus' series COMPLETE
1. Just Another Day

_Disclaimer: Once again I own nothing. Someone else has that honor._

_AN: I introduce a new character in this story which I intend to use for future stories if people like her, so please let me know. I will put " " when I change perspectives or scenes. Let me know if this ever becomes confusing. And please review! It really motivates me to post more!_

We're All Human

By Rowana Farrin

Chapter One: Just Another Day

Ree'an woke as usually, just as the sun's first light touched the trees of her forest home. It promised to be a beautiful day and the young woman planned to spend time fishing in the nearby river. She dressed quickly and tied her hair back in a series of expert twists that kept it out of her eyes. After a brief meal of bread and hard cheese, she climbed down from her house, which was disguised within the thick branches of the trees.

Like most other planets in the Pegasus galaxy, her world, Kor'ania, was under constant threat of Wraith culling. This kept it's people from advancing far technologically. Most of the people lived in small, scattered villages, but Ree'an had lived alone ever since the Wraith had destroyed all others from her village.

The walk to the river was not long, but she stopped, as she often did, to spend time at the ruins of her old home. The overgrown walls of a few dilapidated houses were all that remained. Reverently, she left a few wildflowers at the site to remember all those who had perished, including her own parents.

She continued on towards the river, stopping again only to check her traps. Unfortunately, yesterday's heavy rains had washed away the bait, so she had no luck that morning. By the time she reached the river, the sun was fully up, but several spots shaded by overhanging trees promised good fishing. She sat on the bank, careful to keep her short bow close at hand, and concentrated on baiting her fishing line. It was not long before a plump stream fish was struggling on the hook. Gently, she coxed the fish closer to shore.

Suddenly, the still of the forest was broken by an all too familiar sound: the Stargate was opening. It was only a short distance away through the trees on the far bank. The birds, startled by the sound, all took off at once in a noisy cloud. Ree'an could feel her heart pounding as the fish thrashed forgotten on her line. Traders sometimes came through the gate, but the Wraith also came; to terrorize and capture the people of Kor'ania.

Eventually, he curiosity overcame her fear. Cutting the fish free, she picked up her bow and moved carefully downstream to where several large rocks made for an easy way to cross the fast moving water. Once across, she moved in a half crouch through the thick undergrowth. The Stargate was not far, so it took less than a minute to reach it. Crouching behind a bush, she peered at the giant ring nearby.

The Stargate was already dark, but she could see the people who had traveled through it. The four figures were clearly human: three men and one woman. This alleviated her immediate fears, but they were unlike any human she had ever seen. Their clothes were strange to start, but the objects they carried were even stranger. She thought they must be weapons from the way they carried them. They seemed to speak her own language like most other travelers she had met, but she was too far away to hear the exact words.

The group appeared to know where they were going and began walking in a direction that took them away from the river. They were, in fact, headed for one of the other villages. They seemed peaceful, but Ree'an's natural suspicion of strangers kept her from revealing herself. Instead, she followed them at a distance, being careful to remain hidden behind trees and bushes.

The group continued walking, apparently unaware they were being followed. The village was several miles away, so it took them close to an hour to reach it. The people there were mostly farmers. Their village was located at the beginnings of the Grass Sea, so the soil was rich and the fields perfect for grazing herds. Ree'an knew the place well and could remember trading with these people for grains and milk. Now they shunned her because only she had survived the holocaust of her village.

Knowing this, she avoided entering the village as the strangers did. Instead, she climbed a large tree near the edge of the circle of dwellings. From this vantage point, she could see all that took place within the village.

Major Sheppard and his team were exploring yet another planet where Teyla was introducing them to another of the Athosians' trading partners. The world had a pleasant, temperate climate and beautiful scenery that reminded him of home. If it hadn't been for Dr. McKay's grumbling, they might have enjoyed the walk to the local village.

"Why..." he asked, panting, "does it always...have to be...so far?"

"Come on Rodney," Sheppard teased, "You could use the exercise." McKay glared at him, but he just grinned before falling back to walk with Lt. Ford for a while. The younger man was quiet and glanced occasionally at the surrounding trees with suspicion.

"What is it?" Sheppard asked, following his gaze.

"I think we're being followed, sir."

Sheppard frowned. He hadn't noticed anything, but he had been distracted by McKay's complaining. He pulled out a life signs detector and checked it. Four green dots moved on the screen along with several smaller ones that he figured must be animals. This did not reassure him, however, as the device only had a small range.

"Let's keep moving," he orders. "Wait for them to make the first move."

The rest of the trip passed with no further sign of any pursuers, but he still had the feeling that someone was out there. The villagers greeted them warily at first, but relaxed upon seeing Teyla. "We hardly recognized you in your strange clothes," one of them commented. He led them to the largest house, followed by a crowd of children. The house was not big, but the center room was open and airy with a circular fireplace in the middle. Since it was a warm day, it had no flames, so the travelers sat around a nonexistent fire. A messenger was sent to fetch the village leader who, along with most other able bodied men and women, was working in the fields.

He arrived several minutes later; a tall, lean man in his mid-forties. He greeted them respectfully, "Welcome travelers. My people tell me you are interested in trade." He sat opposite them. "I am Mau'ar." He looked at them expectantly.

Sheppard took the hint. "Hi. I'm Major John Sheppard. That's Teyla, Lieutenant Ford and Doctor McKay." He pointed to each in turn.

Mau'ar nodded. "Teyla we know. We have traded with her people in the past. But you are not Athosians. Who are you?"

Teyla answered this time. "They are travelers from a distant world. They have saved people and myself from a Wraith attack."

He stared at them with new interest. "You must be formidable indeed to challenge the Wraith. What can we offer such a people?"

"Actually, food would be nice," Sheppard said hopefully.

"We have some of the finest crops here," he said proudly. "What can you offer in return?"

"Help, medicines...you could be surprised at what we can do."

He considered. "We shall see. First let us get to know each other better." He smiled and motioned for refreshments. "You must be tired after your journey. Come. Taste some of our bounty."

The villagers brought food and drink, which the team accepted gratefully. They spent the next half hour exchanging pleasantries and sharing information. The Kor'anian people were peaceful and survived, as most did, by avoiding the Wraith wherever possible. They did have one advantage in that respect: the Stargate was inaccessible by ship. It was surrounded by thick trees that forced invading Wraith to come by foot. This made it easier for the locals to avoid culling by simply hiding in the thick vegetation.

"It does not always work," Mau'ar admitted. "A few years ago, the Wraith surrounded and attacked a village in the forest not far from here. All were either taken or killed."

"Have you considered posting guards at the gate?" Sheppard suggested.

He shook his head. "They would have no way to signal us in time to act."

Sheppard considered. "We might be able to help you with that."

"It would be greatly appreciated."

The discussion continued on the topic of crops and supplies. McKay was getting pretty bored without any advanced technology to investigate. He sighed and wished he had stayed behind where at least he could do something more interesting than sitting and talking. He was about to ask if he could head back, when Teyla stiffened.

"Wraith! They are here!" she said urgently.

"Are you sure?" McKay asked. Suddenly going back was looking like a really good idea.

Sheppard didn't wait for confirmation. "Can you get your people to safety?" he asked Mau'ar.

The man stared at him bewildered for several seconds before realization dawned on him. "Yes. We know what to do." He left quickly to warn his people.

"Right. We'll head back to the gate and draw as many as we can away from the village." The Major rushed out, closely followed by Ford and Teyla.

McKay hurried after them. "We will?" he asked worriedly.

"Don't worry," Sheppard assured him. "You'll be fine."

Outside the loud booms of a warning drum alerted villagers to the coming danger. Painfully aware of how little time they could have, Sheppard led his team through the organized chaos to the edge of the village. The jog through the trees passed in a blur. Sheppard moved while keeping an eye on the life signs detector. The last thing he wanted was to run head long into a Wraith ambush.

He spotted them a little over halfway back, but by then the creatures had already heard them coming. He ordered his team to take cover as the six Wraith charged forward expecting to catch their prey by surprise. Instead, Sheppard and Ford appeared behind and shower them with a hail of gunfire. Several of the Wraith stumbled, but they quickly recovered and turned their weapons on the team. Sheppard and Ford broke cover and ran for the Stargate. They continued to fire at the advancing Wraith, but only succeed in slowing their charge.

Teyla and McKay were running ahead of their comrades and reached the gate first. As McKay hurried to dial the address for Atlantis, they could here the battle getting closer behind them. Suddenly, Sheppard and Ford appeared, dodging trees and still firing behind them. Sheppard was vaguely aware that only five Wraith still pursued them and he almost dared to hope that they'd managed to kill one. His thoughts were cut off as he tripped on an unseen root and went down. Ford, who was ahead of him, heard his fall and turned to see the leading Wraith bearing down on the Major. Without hesitating, he emptied his last shots into it's chest and it fell heavily to the ground. Without waiting to see if it was dead, the two men made a mad dash for the Stargate.

By now, McKay had activated the wormhole and all four team members ran for the watery opening. Teyla activated her IDC before rushing through. The others were right behind her, but as Ford entered the gate, one of the remaining Wraith shot McKay from behind. The scientist fell stunned by the blast while still several feet from the gate.

Sheppard saw him fall out of the corner of his eye and instantly turned back. By now, however, the Wraith were close enough to get proper aim. They hit him with two blasts that knocked him backwards through the event horizon. He was unconscious before he reached the other side.


	2. Acting on Impulse

AN: Thanks so much for the lovely reviews! It makes me so happy!

Chapter Two: Acting on Impulse

Ree'an was woken from a light dose by the booming of warning drums. She felt her hackles rise as she realized what that meant: Wraith! She quickly climbed from the tree, eager to get to safety. When she reached the ground, she was just in time to see the group of strangers leave the village at a run. Once again, her curiosity got the better of her and she followed their path back to the Stargate.

_This is crazy!_ she thought, even as she jogged through the trees. _I'm following four complete strangers towards a Wraith attack! _Even so, her decision was made and she did not turn back. Something told her these strangers were more than just another bunch of traders and she wanted to see what they would do.

She was beginning to wonder if the Wraith really were there, when she heard a series of loud bangs, like tiny thunderclaps. She moved closer, her bow drawn with an arrow notched and ready. Then she saw Wraith. The six of them had their backs turned and she could here the whoosh of their weapons. Then they charge forward and she could see two of the strangers fleeing ahead of them. The loud noises were coming from the black objects they had been carrying. _Definitely weapons_, she concluded.

One of the Wraith, perhaps seriously injured by the strangers' attack, lagged behind the rest. Ree'an could not pass up a chance to strike at the monsters who had destroyed her home. Fear forgotten, she loosed an arrow into the back of the Wraith, quickly followed by two more for good measure. She wasn't sure it was dead, but she didn't stay to find out. Following the sounds of battle, she made her way stealthily through the trees, already prepared with a fresh arrow.

At the roar of the Stargate, she quickened her pace, almost tripping over another Wraith. It was peppered with dozens of small red holes that she guessed must have come from the strangers. From here, she could just make out the gate through the trees. She ran closer and was in time to see two of the strangers make it through the wormhole. Her heart leapt and for a moment she was sure that they would escape. Then one the remaining two fell, shot from behind. The other turned to help his friend, but he too was shot and fell back into the gate.

The blue glow faded and the forest was plunged into sudden silence. She watched as the Wraith wasted no time in dialing another address. The gate opened again and they started to leave, dragging their human captive with them. Ree'an felt herself suddenly burn with anger and hatred: she couldn't just let this happen! In that instant, she abandoned instinct and commonsense, and broke from cover. She bolted for the gate and, as the last Wraith stepped through, leapt in after it.

Dr. Weir had been enjoying a nice cup of coffee when the alarm announced an incoming wormhole. She ran the short distance from her office to the gate room in time to see Peter Grodin receive the incoming signal. "Who is it?" she asked urgently.

"Teyla," he responded, before lowering the shield.

Weir frowned in concern. "They were only gone a few hours."

Suddenly Teyla came bursting through the gate closely followed by Lt. Ford. Both were out of breath as if they had just run a marathon. Weir started down the stairs to meet them, but had to dive for cover as several Wraith stun blasts zipped through the gate. Then Major Sheppard came through, collapsing instantly in a heap at the edge of the event horizon.

"Medical team to the gate room!" Weir cried, before rushing to help the fallen soldier. Teyla and Ford were already at his side, rapidly checking his pulse and breathing. Suddenly the gate shut down, causing everyone to look up in shock. Elizabeth felt her stomach clench. McKay had not come through.

"Where's Rodney?" she asked, fighting to stay calm despite a sickening fear that crept into her mind.

"He was right behind us," Ford answered, still out of breath. "We've got to go back!"

Just then Dr. Beckett and the medical team arrived. As they rushed Sheppard to the infirmary, Weir shouted orders: "Sergeant Bates! Get a team ready! Dial the gate!" She stepped back as Bates and half a dozen of his security team prepared to embark. The Stargate's chevron's glowed blue as Peter hurriedly dialed the address, but it stopped before completely activating.

"Seventh chevron will not lock!" the Englishman cried in confusion.

"What!" Weir ran back up the stairs. "Why not?"

"I don't know!" he replied clearly flustered. "The other gate must already be active."

Weir tried not to think about what that might mean. "Keep trying," she ordered, barely able to keep her voice even.

After several agonizing minutes the gate finally opened. The security team, plus Ford and Teyla, rushed through with weapons at the ready. They need not have bothered. The area around the Stargate was deserted. They saw no sign of the Wraith and, more importantly, no sign of McKay. The soldiers spread out to search for any signs of the enemy or the missing scientist, but they knew they had little chance of finding either.

Aiden felt frustration and hopelessness creeping in. _I should have been there!_ he berated himself silently. _I should have been able to help McKay and the Major!_ He repeated the incident over and over in his head, but each time he couldn't see what had happened to his friends. His thoughts were interrupted by a shout from Sgt. Bates.

He and Teyla ran to see what the man had found and met him some distance from the gate examining something lying on the ground. As they drew closer, they could see that it was a Wraith. It lay immobile a short distance from where the team had first faced the raiding party. The creature itself was nothing special. What was, was the three arrows sticking from its back.

Bates yanked out one of the shafts and was surprised to see the hole it left closing slowly. He raised his weapon and fired several shots until he was sure that the Wraith was now completely dead. Teyla picked up the arrow from where he had dropped it. She twirled it in her hand, noting the sharp metal point and skillfully feathered end.

"What do you think?" Ford asked her. "One of the villagers."

"No. It is not in their nature to attack anyone, least of all the Wraith."

"So someone else was out here," Bates concluded. "Someone who has no love for the Wraith."

"That doesn't exactly narrow it down," Ford pointed out. "Do you think the villagers might know who it was?"

"It is possible," Teyla answered.

Ford nodded his understanding and made a quick decision. "Bates, head back to the gate and tell Dr. Weir what's happening. Teyla and I will check out the village." Bates nodded and left. Ford felt his heart sink as he watched him go. Dr. Weir was not going to like what she heard.


	3. Impossible Odds

_AN: I put "X X X" to mark the changes this time. The asterisks weren't showing up. I'll update the other chapters too. Sorry about that._

Chapter Three: Impossible Odds

Ree'an came through the Stargate so fast that she slammed into the back of the last Wraith, her bow snapping with the impact. As they fell forward, the other three turned, dropped their captive and raised their weapons to attack. She quickly rolled to one side and Wraith underneath took the three stun blasts meant for her.

Before the others could fire again, she rose and, in the same movement, drove her long hunting knife into the arm of the closest Wraith. The creature howled, more in anger than pain, and swung at her with his other arm. She ducked and dodged around him just as the other two fired. Once again, the shots meant for her took out her attacker instead.

Now only two of the four aliens remained, but she knew that they would be more than enough unless she was very quick, and very lucky. Weapons forgotten, the Wraith charged forward in a blind rage. She dove between them, finding herself on top of the unconscious stranger's body. Hoping to find something helpful, she fished in his pockets. Her hand had just closed around his weapon, when she felt a sharp blow on her arm. She fought past the pain as a rough hand rolled her over and reached for her chest. She pulled out the strange weapon, aimed it, and pulled the trigger.

The accompanying thunderclap deafened her sensitive ear and the weapon jumped violently in her hand, but she saw the Wraith staggered. She kept firing until the weapon's loud noises changed into sharp clicks and stopped working. As the Wraith fell, she grabbed his weapon and swung it at the last enemy. This Wraith was distracted by the sudden demise of his fellow and took the sharp end of the stunner in his side. He roared and tried to retaliate, but she had found the stunner's trigger and fired into his snarling face. He collapsed without another sound.

Ree'an stood still for several moments, staring at the still forms around her. She was breathing hard and her arm was throbbing with pain. _I can't believe I just did that!_ her mind screamed wildly. Now that the battle was over, the adrenaline was fading and common sense was taking over. It was time to figure out what to do next. One Wraith she was sure was dead, but the others would recover before long. She did not have a lot of time.

The most logical escape was through the Stargate, but she suddenly remembered that wasn't an option. She had never learned any gate addresses. She silently cursed her habit of skipping her lessons in favor of hunting or fishing. Her only hope was that the stranger would know somewhere for them to go, but he was still unconscious and would be for some time.

That left only one thing: finding somewhere to hide until the man woke up. Unfortunately the landscape did not look promising. The planet was dusty, gray, and bleak, and the area around the gate provided only a few scrawny trees for cover. She could see some hills farther on that looked better, but she didn't think she could carry the man that far. A quick search of the area, however, and she found a narrow ditch about a hundred yards away. It had probably once been a stream and its shallow banks had a fairly large number of trees and bushes that would hide them well. It was a little closer than she would have liked, but it would have to do.

She returned to the Stargate and retrieved her knife. As an afterthought, she also picked up the stranger's weapon and stuck both in her belt before turning her full attention on the man she had rescued. He was older than her by far and his thin brown hair was cut much shorter than the men of Kor'ania. His clothes, as she had noted before, were odd and had more blue and black than she was used to seeing. He also had a bulky vest full of pockets that covered most of his torso. He was certainly the oddest man she had ever seen. Still, he was definitely human and having strange clothes didn't change that.

She hooked her arms underneath his and started dragging him towards the sheltered ditch. The task was harder than she had anticipated. The man was large and heavy and her injured arm argued painfully with each step. It took nearly thirty minutes, and several rest breaks, before she finally managed to reach her destination.

Once there, she collapsed beside the man in the small shelter under the scraggly trees. Breathing hard, she took several moments to regain what little strength she had left. She had never felt so tired in all her life. Tired and thirsty. Her throat burned for water, but she couldn't see any nearby. It was too risky to go searching; the Wraith might wake at any moment. _Perhaps the stranger has some_, she thought. He certainly had a number of things in his pockets and surely he wouldn't mind if she looked.

She searched several pockets full of strange objects before she found a small liquid filled bottle. After futile attempts to pry or pull the cap off, she discovered that it loosened by twisting. She sniffed experimentally and poured a little into her grimy hand. Satisfied that it was water, she proceeded to gulp down nearly half its contents before remembering that the stranger might want some later. After failing to get the cap back on the bottle, she set it aside carefully and began to examine some of the other things from the man's pockets.

Besides the water, he had several odd devices she did not recognize or understand. Most seemed to do nothing, but one lit up when she touched it. It was white and rectangular and showed a small glowing picture with two green dots at its center. It seemed meaningless, so she set it aside with the others. She also found rolled up strips of green cloth, a small knife, and several things covered in colorful, metallic paper. Nothing looked particularly useful. She also didn't find any food, and by now she was starving. Breakfast seemed like a lifetime ago, though in truth it had only been a few hours.

A sudden sound distracted her from her search. Cautiously she peered over the edge of their hiding place. One of the Wraith was awake and impatiently shoving and kicking his fellows. Two of them rose irritably, but the third did not stir. The remaining three argued for several minutes then one of them left, walking away towards the nearby hills. Ree'an breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that his path took him away from the ditch. The other Wraith took up positions to guard the gate and she had no doubt that their friend had gone for reinforcements. She bit her lip in anxiety and glanced at the still unconscious stranger. If he didn't wake soon, they might never escape.

X X X

Major Sheppard woke slowly. The first thing he was aware of was an annoying tingle that covered his entire body. The next was the sound of soft voices that floated in and out of his hearing. He was sure he recognized them, but he couldn't catch what they were saying. Determined, he fought back the darkness and forced his eyes open. He almost regretted it as the bright light threatened to blind him, but he adjusted gradually and was greeted by more familiar voices.

"There you are lad," said a pleasant Scottish voice. "Welcome back."

He blinked, trying to bring the world into focus. He was in the infirmary. That was odd; he didn't remember getting back. Dr. Beckett and Dr. Weir were standing over him with concerned but relieved faces.

"How are you feeling, John?" Weir asked. Her voice was calm, but he thought he detected a hint of anxiety.

"Like a pincushion," he croaked.

Beckett nodded. "Your body's had quite a shock, but you're going to be just fine."

"Do you remember anything?" Weir asked. Once again her voice betrayed that something was wrong.

Sheppard frowned, trying to think through a haze of confusion. "We were on the planet. The Wraith attacked and..." his eyes went wide. "McKay! We have to go back!" He sat up and immediately regretted it as a wave of nausea hit him.

Beckett grabbed his shoulders and gently but firmly eased him back to the bed. "Take it easy. You're in no condition to go running off just yet."

Sheppard found he no longer had the strength to protest. "But..."

"We already searched the planet, Major," Weir told him. "He wasn't there." Her heart fell saying the words. Lt. Ford and Teyla were still in the village asking questions, but they were rapidly losing hope of finding any sign of their friend. She shook her head, trying not to think of what could be happening to Rodney. She refused to give up while they still had a small chance of finding him.


	4. Crazy Ideas

_AN: Sorry this took so long. I had a bit of writer's block. A big thank you goes to my beta reader Geoff, who was a big help with this chapter. Hope you all enjoy it!_

_Oh, and to answer your question Lenka, I don't plan any romance for Rodney at this point, but I haven't actually planned out the sequal yet._

Chapter Four: Crazy Ideas

Rodney came awake with a groan. Immediately he felt a hand cover his mouth, cutting off the sound. Confused and terrified, he fought against the unknown assailant.

"Stop!" a strange voice hissed in his ear. "If you make a sound, we're both dead!"

He stopped, more from surprise than a desire to obey. He squinted, trying to focus on the figure above him. As his vision cleared, he was surprised to see that it was a girl. She couldn't have been much more than a teenager. She was dressed in worn clothes that looked like they had been ripped and mended many times. She was covered in dirt and her long gold brown hair had come loose in untidy tangles.

She released his mouth and helped him sit upright. The movement reminded him of the tiny pricks of pain all over his body, as well as a throbbing headache. He bit his lip to keep from crying out and tried to make himself more comfortable. It wasn't easy. The ditch they were hiding in was tight and rocks and roots greeted him at every turn.

Once he was settled, the girl help up his water bottle and helped him take a few sips while she explained in a whisper: "My name is Ree'an. I followed the Wraith who took you through the Stargate. The Wraith are searching for us as we speak."

He choked as his mind digested the information. "You attacked the Wraith!" She nodded. "And killed all six of them?"

"No. I fought four, and only killed one."

He stared at her, hardly able to believe what he was hearing. Before he could ask how, a familiar whizzing sound caused both of them to duck as a Wraith dart flew overhead. Ree'an's mouth fell open in shock. "It flies," she whispered in awe.

"I noticed," McKay said sarcastically. Then he saw the amazed looked on her face. "You've never seen one before?"

"Never. But I have heard of such a thing in the stories that traders tell us. I thought it was just a legend to frighten us when we were small."

"That would have been nice," he muttered in reply. His mind reeled. He had so many questions to ask that for a minute he didn't say anything. Finally, he decided to start simple. "Ree'an you said?" She nodded. "Dr. Rodney McKay," he said and held out his hand.

"That's a long name," she commented. She didn't take the hand.

"Well you can just call me McKay; most people do," he told her, taking his hand back. Then, feeling he should say something more, he added: "Thanks for rescuing me."

"We're not safe yet. Many Wraith now guard the gate and still more are searching. They will find us before long."

"Oh." That did not sound good. His mind raced, trying to come up with a solution. Atlantis didn't know where they were, so they had no chance of rescue. They were on their own. They only had his gun and a knife between them, which ruled out rushing the gate. They would never make it that far even if they had more to fight with. For once his brilliant mind did not seem to be able to think of a way out. He wished Sheppard was there; he would have known what to do. For once he wished he had some of the Major's expertise in fighting. It was the only thing he was willing to admit the man was better at than himself.

His thoughts were interrupted by another dart flying by. They were getting closer, which meant they were running out of time. "The stories say the Wraith fly in them," Ree'an said suddenly. "Is that true?"

"Yes, of course," he snapped. He hated having to explain the obvious. "Each ship has at least one pilot to control it."

Ree'an's face was thoughtful. Then she smiled. "So we should be able to fly in one as well."

He stared at her. _Was she nuts! That was crazier than...than taking out four Wraith at once? After that, was there anything she couldn't do? It might just be their way out, but did it even have the slightest chance of success? _"Be reasonable," he said. "We don't even know where the darts are, much less how to fly one. And besides, they're probably all in the air hunting for us, ready to shoot us if we move from here!"

"We won't know until we look," she pointed out. "And we will never escape if we just sit here and wait for them to find us."

He sighed. She had a point. As much as he hated to admit it, her crazy idea did seem like the only one they had. "Alright," he said finally. "But we're not going anywhere until I've had something to eat."

He grabbed one of the power bars, unwrapped it and started chewing. Ree'an was watching him with another of her astonished looks. Absently, he passed her another of the bars. She stared at it in confusion for several seconds before he snatched it, unwrapped it for her, and gave it back. She kept looking at it for a few more seconds before taking a tentative bite.

Her face exploded in a look of utter disgust. She spat out the piece and look at it in horror. "Ack! How can you eat that!" she asked, fighting to keep her voice quiet. "It tastes like..." she searched for the right word. "Like dried leather!"

McKay shrugged. "I kinda like them actually," he said matter of factly.

When McKay had recovered enough to move quickly, they made their way slowly in the direction the darts had come from. They gave the Stargate a wide berth, staying hidden behind scrub trees and hillocks. McKay kept a watchful eye on the life signs detector as they traveled, but few Wraith were still searching on foot so thankfully they had little trouble. Ree'an seemed just as amazed at the life signs detector as with the power bars, but she didn't bring it up. McKay had a feeling she was saving her questions for a more opportune time, for which he was grateful.

They saw their goal just beyond the first set of hills about a mile past the Stargate. It was a large open area that looked perfect for an airfield and even had a few chard patches, probably from takeoffs. One dart was still there. One Wraith seemed to be working on it, while several others kept stood guard. McKay couldn't believe their luck, and could only hope that the ship wasn't too damaged to fly. It looked all right, but he couldn't be sure.

"Now what?" he asked with a touch of despair in his voice. The site of so many Wraith between them and their goal was frustrating. "We just walk up and ask nicely if we can borrow their ship?"

Ree'an either ignored his tone or didn't recognize it. She considered the Wraith below. "We need a distraction." She glanced at his gun, which he had reloaded before they left. Then she looked back at the Wraith. Then she grinned wickedly. "I have an idea."

X X X

Rodney could not believe what he was about to do. '_I'm a scientist for goodness sake, not special forces!'_ He was crouched some distance behind the Wraith dart, ready to move when he got his chance. He desperately hoped that Ree'an's crazy plan would work. If it didn't, they would probably both end up dead. '_Why did I ever agree to this?'_ he wondered.

The unnerving silence was broken by several gunshots from the opposite side of the Wraith. McKay could just make out Ree'an, standing on top of the hill. She was shouting and waving to get the Wraith's attention. It worked. Bellowing with rage, they charged after the girl. Soon only one was left guarding the dart and, fortunately, he was facing the opposite direction.

McKay slipped as quietly as he could into the back of the ship. He quickly found the controls for the rear hatch near the back and closed it before taking a closer look at the inside. It was smaller than a puddle jumper and completely devoid of any sort of physical comfort. The rear is empty and separated from the front by a cage-like hatch that was already opened. In the front was a stiff, pointy chair situated at a bank of controls and a large, slanted window. The was one of the most uncomfortable things he had ever been in.

He sat down in the chair and scanned the unfamiliar symbols. The only thing he was sure of was the ship's DHD on one side. Two raised hand prints seemed to be for steering, but nothing else seemed to have any use. Hoping he wouldn't blow himself up, he placed his hands on the controls. The inside lit up with an eery glow and the ship rose shakily at his unspoken command. So it was like a puddle jumper. It made sense now that he thought about it. The Wraith were telepathic, so it was logical for them to be able to control their ships that way.

He carefully moved his hands from side to side. The controls slid and the ship mirrored his movements. He heard an angry snarl and saw the remaining Wraith raise his weapon. '_Time to get out of here.'_ He steered the dart to follow the path Ree'an and the other Wraith had taken earlier. The ship wobbled at the commands of its untrained pilot, but stayed on course. Soon he spotted Ree'an below, running full tilt and yet barely keeping ahead of her pursuers. He swooped lower in a line with her path. '_Transport! Transport now!_ ' he thought frantically.

X X X

Ree'an lungs burned as she fought to keep ahead of the Wraith. '_All this for a stranger_,' she thought. She would almost have laughed if the situation hadn't been so bad. Her old teacher had always told her that her impulsive nature would get her into trouble. He had actually been right.

She heard one of the Wraith's flying things behind her, but she didn't dare take the time to look back. The Wraith were so close that she could almost feel their breath on her back. Then, without warning, a harsh screeching sound filled her ears and a blinding light filled her eyes. Her stomach did a nasty flip-flop as she suddenly found herself in a strange room. Her body had no time to react, it kept running through an open door until she slammed painfully into an upright chair.

"Hang on!" McKay called from the chair. She felt the floor rock violently and clung to the chair for balance. "What was that!" she cried.

"They're shooting at us!" McKay fought a rising panic. _Where was Sheppard when you needed him?_

Ree'an felt sick. The world was whizzing by at an impossible speed. It made her dizzy to watch and yet she couldn't take her eyes away.

"Oh crap!" McKay swore. The other Wraith were catching on and two darts were headed straight for them. He dodged erratically as they opened fire and watched the blasts miss them by mere inches. Then the darts blew past on either side and turned to attack again. He tried to ignore them and continued towards Stargate. Their only chance was to escape before their luck ran out.

As they neared the gate, the Wraith guards raised their weapons and prepared to fire on them. McKay dove at them. _Weapons!_ he thought frantically. '_This thing does have weapons, right!_ ' He was rewarded by a barrage of shots that decimated the Wraith below, creating a burning path of destruction that sent them flying in all directions. He flew on past the side of the gate and turned around, narrowly avoiding another another attack from the darts. Apparently his poor driving was confusing the other pilots, because they kept going when he turned.

"Dial the gate!" he ordered, as he flew over the gate and attacked the Wraith on the ground a second time.

Ree'an broke out of her shocked state and moved to the DHD. "Which symbols?" she asked.

McKay cursed. He'd never be able to explain which ones much less explain his GDO. He saw only one solution: he would have to do it himself. He'd have to do it fast too, the darts were returning for another attack.

Ree'an cried out as McKay suddenly grabbed her wrist and forced her hands the controls. Her eyes widened in terror, even as he sat her into the chair. '_He's crazy! How can he expect me to control this thing!_ ' The ship rocked and pitched with her wild and frantic thoughts; magically causing their attackers to miss yet again. She swerved around, bringing the Stargate into view and she was just in time to see the watery blast as it opened.

"Go!" McKay shouted. He hurried to enter his IDC, praying that the signal would get through in time. They careened towards the gate at an alarming speed. "Slow down!" he screamed, even as the rocketed forward. He ducked behind the controls and braced for the impact her knew would come.

They shot into the wormhole, closely followed by the two other darts. McKay felt the world blur in the familiar rush of gate travel. '_We're gonna die_,' he thought. even as his body disintegrated.


	5. Home Away From Home

Chapter Five: Home Away From Home

Major Sheppard paced the balcony above the Stargate. Ford and Teyla had just returned to report that the villagers knew nothing of McKay's whereabouts. It was starting to look truly hopeless, despite all their efforts to find him. Sheppard closed his eyes, fighting back the creeping despair. '_Damn it, McKay! Where are you!_'

He felt useless. He hadn't been able to save his friend and he'd spent the last few hours asleep in the infirmary. Sleeping! While Rodney was facing who knows what! Dr. Weir had been adamant that it wasn't his fault, but he didn't believe it. It had been his decision. He had been giving the orders so therefor it was his responsibility.

"John."

He turned to see Elizabeth's concerned face. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"Oh just fine," he answered, unable to keep a sarcastic bite from his voice. "Except that one of my team is out there in the hands of the worst enemy in the history of the universe!" He winced. He hadn't meant to take his frustration out on her. "Sorry."

"We're doing everything we can," she said, trying to assure herself as much as him.

"Well it doesn't look like it's enough." He sighed. Neither wanted to admit that they couldn't do anything else. Sheppard found it hard to accept that he might not see the cranky scientist again. Despite all their differences, he had started to think of the man as a friend. He stared mournfully at the silent Stargate. '_Come on, Rodney. Come back to us._'

As if in answer, the gate lit up with a spiral of blue and an explosive blast of water. John ran for the controls so fast that he jarred his hand painfully on its side, but he didn't care.

Peter Grodin stared at the computer screen in shock. "It's Rodney's IDC!"

John's heart leapt, hardly daring to hope. "Let him in!"

"You can't!" Sgt. Bates cried. "This could be a Wraith trick!"

"I'll take that risk!" He reached over and slammed the shield control before the man could argue further.

For an instant nothing happened. Then a Wraith dart screamed through the gate. Soldiers dove frantically out of its way as it crashed into the stairs with a horrible grating sound and a shower of sparks. It kept going until its point smashed halfway through the window across from the gate, shattering the colored glass.

"Raise the shield!" Elizabeth screamed. John didn't hesitate and slammed the button a second time. The barrier had barely been raised, when something large struck it, followed by another before the gate shut down.

For a moment the room was completely still. Then people began to recover. The security team quickly surrounded the dart with their weapons drawn and ready. Sheppard grabbed a gun and a life signs detector before joining the circle of men.

"We got two life signs inside. We'll try to take them alive. Do not fire until ordered to do so," he told them evenly.

For nearly a minute nothing happened and Sheppard was beginning to wonder if the Wraith had been injured in the crash. Then the rear hatch opened and he made out two figures in a haze of smoke and gloom. '_Funny_,' he thought, '_they look a little small for Wraith_.' Then one of them raised its hands in surrender and spoke in a very familiar, irritated voice: "Hey! I thought you'd be happy to see me!"

Sheppard lowered his gun and nearly laughed with relief. "McKay you little...where have you been!"

"Oh you know...staying alive." He waved his hands dissmissively.

"Rodney, thank god! Are you alright?" Elizabeth asked, coming down the stairs.

"Oh just fine," he said sarcastically. "I'm getting used to near death experiences."

Sheppard grinned. It was McKay alright, still his usual self. "Your driving hasn't improved," he said jokingly.

He crossed his arms in annoyance. "Very funny. But actually she was driving." He jabbed a finger behind him at the second figure.

Sheppard noticed her for the first time. Her eyes were wide and darted about the room, trying to take in everything at once. He smiled and held out his hand to her. "Hi and welcome to Atlantis."

She just stared at him and said nothing. Finally she gave a nod and said: "Thank you." Her voice was soft and quiet and she seemed nervous and uncertain. Sheppard didn't blame her. He had certainly been nervous when he first came to Atlantis. By now, though, he was used to weird things, so it didn't bother him so much.

"What is your name?" Weir asked kindly.

"Ree'an."

"Well, Ree'an, I think Dr. Beckett should have a look at both of you before we do anything else." She led the way to the infirmary, and introduced her to the other people as they walked. Ree'an continued to stared at the sites around her, as McKay talked about the Wraith and the dart. She didn't understand half of what he was saying, but she was too absorbed in the beautiful city to care. She had never seen a more wonderful and mysterious place and it fascinated her.

In the infirmary, Ree'an was instructed to sit on a bed and wait, while a dark haired man in a white coat, which Dr. Weir called Dr. Beckett, examined McKay. While he worked, they talked about what had happened on the planet. Occasionally they asked her a question, which she tried to answer as best she could. She hadn't spoken this much to other people in long time, and besides she was distracted by all the curious and strange things that were all over the room.

Finally, Dr. Beckett finished with McKay and came over to her. He's speech was different from the others, but not difficult to understand. "Now lassie," he said, "I'm goin' to have a look at you. Nothin' to fret about."

He began by flashing a small bright light into her eyes that made her wince. Then he poked a cold tube briefly in each of her ears and made her open her mouth so he could look inside. This continued for several minutes. She was extremely nervous, but the man kept talking to her in his kind pleasant voice so she let him continue his prodding.

Last of all he brought out a tiny needle on a a clear tube. "I need to take some blood," he told her. "It'll only hurt a little." '_Hurt?'_ she wondered. '_Why would they hurt me?'_ Before she could puzzle this out, he stuck the needle into her arm.

She reacted without thinking, and yanked her arm away. She clamped her other hand on the spot where blood had begun to pour and glared at the man in anger and a little fear. "What was that for! I have done you no harm!"

She started to jump off the table, but the one called Major Sheppard stopped her. "Relax!" he said firmly. "We're not trying to hurt you. We just need to make sure your healthy, alright?"

She considered. They had been kind to her so far, and it hadn't hurt that much. She nodded. "Alright." She let the doctor finish and at the end he put a sticky band over the wound. "There," he said. "All done."

X X X

Nearly an hour later, Dr. Weir came out of the briefing to find Ree'an on the outside balcony. The girl was staring out at the wide expanse of water in silent wonder. As Weir moved closer, she jumped. "I'm sorry," she said nervously, as if she expected to be scolded. She started to leave.

"No, wait," Elizabeth held up a hand to stop her. "I need to talk to you."

She nodded, but her eyes wandered back to the sea. In the light breeze her hair waved slightly. She was quite lovely now that she was clean. Her eyes were a deep blue-gray just like the water she enraptured by, and her skin was as pale as Elizabeth's own. The older woman leaned casually on the railing. "It's beautiful isn't it?" she asked.

"Yes," she replied distantly. "So much water. It goes on forever. I have never seen so much before."

Dr. Weir smiled. "Do you like it here?"

She nodded. "It is so magnificent and so big and so full of amazing things. I will be sorry to leave it."

"Actually, Ree'an, we just discussed it and we want you to stay."

She stared at her in shock, hardly able to believe what she was hearing. "Truly? You do?"

"Truly." She was slightly taken aback by her reaction. "Of course if you don't want to, you don't have to. It's your decision."

"I do want to." She turned back to the rolling waves. "I'm just not sure if I deserve it."

Weir was aghast. "Of course you do. Without you Rodney would be dead right now, and as I understand it, you could easily been captured as well. If anyone deserves our friendship, it's you."

Ree'an smiled happily. "Then I will stay. It will be a great honor." She bowed, still smiling.

Weir smiled back. "Good. I'm glad. Major Sheppard wants to give you a tour of the city, or at least as much as we've explored." She turned to go, but stopped suddenly. "Ree'an, why did you rescue McKay? You risked your life for a complete stranger, that doesn't seem to make sense."

Ree'an shrugged. "My old teacher would say I wasn't thinking straight, but the way I see it, we're not that different. You, me, my people, your people, we're all just food to the Wraith. We're all human. When it comes down to it, we're all the same."

Dr. Weir smiled again. She was going to like this girl. "Come on," she said. "Let's get you settled in."

The End

_AN: Thank you so much for all the reviews! I'm glad you enjoyed the story so much. It makes me so happy! I do hope to write a sequal, so please tell me what you think. Especially let me know of any ideas; I would love suggestions!_


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